For those of us with children who claim WTC or CTC

Well wonderful news for us SAHMs then when the WTC and CTC are abolished sometime around 2017 and we are all transferred to the Universal Credit. In order to stay claiming it looks like both parents will have to sign a contract that they will look for full-time of at least 35 hours a week work each or not be able to claim or so the MSE benefit forums have been discussing. I for one will not be claiming the damn thing, my husband is on a low income but we will have to manage as I am not going to be forced to sign a contract and look for at least 35 hours work a week when there is already one of us who does 55/60 hours a week on a lower paid job. Surely the dole queue will be considerably lengthened with all the SAHMs now having to sign on that they will look for work. What will everyone else do, claim it and look for work or not claim it.

Gosh I didn't know about that change, will have a waddle over to mse and see what its all about

i knew about it but i had no idea it wasnt until 2017 why does it take so long to do anything in this country?

I've been over to mse and can't find it Bildanto can you put a link in or tell me the thread title?
can't see for looking

Universal Credit is coming in a lot sooner than 2017, from 2014 I think and it is being done in stages with new claimants those who would be entitled to JSA now transferred over first, next those who are claiming high amounts WTC due to low income (self-employed)/low hours and can be "persuaded" to increase to at least 35 hours per week, 2017 is the end date for when everyone will be on it.

Dolly Blue - I go on MSE Benefits & Tax Credits forum and if you put in a search of Universal Credit there are several posts about this.

Also forgot to say Dolly Blue, one of the couple will be designated the carer and like with JSA dependant on the age of the children the "carer" will only be asked to work hours in line with the age of the child but if your children are 12 or over it will have to be 35 hours work.

I wonder what shambles is ahead for those claiming, when the tax credits came in it was a right mess

It wont affect me but I can see how these things can be unsettling.

Oh good grief all this is news to me

Well I have been TRYING to keep up to date on MSE and someone did post recently something that caught my attention which I had not heard before that if the SAHM wanted to stay at home the total income of the household would be calculated as 2 x 35 hours National Minimum Wage and not what the actual income is if it is less than this so in effect you would get less than you should but in that case not subject to having to look for work so we will have to see. Don't think many SAHMs know about having to look for work under Universal Credit and think things will be the same as at the moment.

TBH thinking about it, there are so few jobs about at the moment, that how they expect all the stay at home parents to find jobs is quite beyond me I've actually been looking for a job ever since my daughter went to school full time and theres nothing about at all.....

Evenstar wrote:TBH thinking about it, there are so few jobs about at the moment, that how they expect all the stay at home parents to find jobs is quite beyond me I've actually been looking for a job ever since my daughter went to school full time and theres nothing about at all.....

I've often wondered that myself. Some mother's might have the skills to start their own little buisness however I doubt that is the case for the majority.